Who was St Foy?

The Story and Significance of Saint Foy

Saint Foy was a young girl executed for her religion, Christianity, and became a saint. Her story helps historians understand how Christianity worked in the medieval world.

Saints and relics

Saints, and their relics, were revered (admired).
People believed that saints could talk directly to God on behalf of other Christians and could perform miracles.
Cults developed around particular saints and their relics.
Pilgrims would travel long distances to offer Saints gifts in return for their help or protection.

St Foy

Saint Foy (Faith) was a girl who likely lived during the 3rd or 4th century in Agen, a small Roman city in Southwest France.
Her family were pagans who worshipped Roman gods but Foy became a Christian.
Christians were persecuted at this time. When Saint Foy was 12, she was caught but she refused to give up her Christian beliefs.
She was tortured and beheaded.

Legacy of St Foy

Saint Foy was canonised as a saint for refusing to deny her faith. She was seen as a true hero and Christian who died for her religion.
Dado the Hermit founded a monastery at Conques, France in 801. A monk named Arinisdus stole Saint Foy's body from Agen to take to the monastery in the 9th century.
It is believed that a servant named Guibert had his eyes miraculously restored by Saint Foy in 983.

Significance of St Foy

Stories related to Saint Foy and Christian saints, in general, helped unify Christians in their religious beliefs. It shows the importance of such stories in Christianity at the time.
Historians can use Saint Foy's story to learn about the Christian world of 500-1000.
- This helps them tackle the lack of surviving sources and learn much about the history of Christianity.

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.1.1Vikings & Anglo-Saxons

1.1.2Reasons for Viking Invasions

1.1.3Alfred the Great

1.1.4England's Revival

1.1.5Anglo-Saxon Towns

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.2.1Edward the Confessor's Death

1.2.2The Contenders

1.2.3Battle of Stamford Bridge

1.2.4Battle of Hastings

1.2.5Battle of Hastings Timeline

1.2.6End of Topic Test - Edward's Death to Hastings

1.2.7The Feudal System

1.2.8Castles

1.2.9The Domesday Book

1.2.10End of Topic Test - Feudal System & Domesday Book

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.3.1Origins of the Crusades

1.3.2Early Disputes Over the Holy Land

1.3.3The First Crusade

1.3.4Course of the Crusades

1.3.5Reasons for the Crusades

1.3.6Military Impact of the Crusades

1.3.7Scientific Impact of the Crusades

1.3.8Domestic Impact of the Crusades

1.3.9Christian Interpretation of the Crusades

1.3.10Muslim Interpretation of the Crusades

1.3.11End of Topic Test - The Crusades

1.3.12End of Topic Test - The Crusades 2

1.4King John

1.4.1King John

1.4.2King John's Power

1.4.3King John & the Church

1.4.4The Battle of Bouvines

1.4.5The Barons' Rebellion

1.4.6End of Topic Test - King John

1.4.7End of Topic Test - The Battle of Bouvines

1.4.8End of Topic Test - The BArons' Rebellion

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.5.1The Magna Carta

1.5.2Lasting Impact of the Magna Carta

1.5.3The Magna Carta & the Monarchy

1.5.4The Magna Carta & Democracy

1.5.5Contemporary Interpretations of King John

1.5.6Later Interpretations of King John

1.5.7Modern Interpretations of King John

1.5.8End of Topic Test - The Magna Carta

1.5.9End of Topic Test - Lasting Impact of Magna Carta

1.5.10End of Topic Test - Interpretations of King John

1.6The Black Death

1.6.1The Black Death

1.6.2The Impact of the Black Death

2Worldviews